Machine for slitting covers attached to heels



June 18; 1935. N, H. KNowLToN MACHINE FOR SLITTING COVERS ATTACHED TO HEELS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March '25, 1952 //\/\/f/\/ T/ mme-HLM Dg BMS) June 18, 1935. N KNQWLTON 2,005,040

MACHINE FOR SLITTING COVERS ATTACHED T0 HEELS Filed March 25, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 18, 1935 'I'his invention relates to'slitting machines ,and I is illustrated as In, l 2,005,040 n MACHINE 1 Fon sLrr-'rnzaI c'ovans f ATTACHED THEELSv r l f Nortvood'H. Knowlton, Rockport, Mass.,.assignor to United 'ShoeMachneryCurporatun Paterson.' N. J.. avcorporation of'Nevy vJersey '29 claims;

ting .the covers of heels of shoes. .A In covering heels such, .for example, as `Wood a single piece of Acovering Ymaterial to the: rear and to the sides of the heel.` This piece of material is commonly referred to'as aside cover and is of rsuch a size that its toprand forward marginal portions extendbeyond the breast and the attaching faces respectively of the heel. After the side cover has been adhesively securedfto the lateral portions of theheel, the top. and forward marginal portions, which project beyond the attaching and the breast faces, are inturned upon' thcsefaces respectively and are' secured thereto.

Before inturni side cover upon ng the -projecting portionsof= the the sharply .curved projectingpart of the breast of a Louis-heel, it is customary for the koperator to slit these-portions .vvith'the` use of a pair of shears by a plurality of cuts disposed at substantially right angles to lcorrespond-V`V the breast edges of ythe heel'.y acilitates the laying -of the mar` ginal portions ofthe side cover uponthelbreastl of the heel and insures 'that the covering yWill not be wrinkled where it is turned over the breast f Itis the'general practice, afterv ing' portions of This'operation f edges of the heel the inturned marginal portions of lthe sideu cover have been skived, to cover the breast of the heel by a separate piece of covering material'which` extends from one breast edgev of ltlfiefheelto theother and covers the inturned marginal portions of the side cover. f

They hand `slittingmethod is slow fand it rre-f that the operator, in slitting the ofy the f sideI `coxfenjy breast edge ofthe quently happens projecting marginal portion severs such portion up to the heel thereby exposing a small yportionof tlievvoodv heel in the vicinity of the breast-edge after the heelhas been covered. It is to control the de ers preparatory tions of the `-covers into heel' cover receivingy such as illustrated in United` grooves or slots States Letters pth of the cut when slitting cov# to inturning the marginal por- Patent No. 1,704,204, granted' March 5', 1.()29A upon an applicationy filed `in the` name Aof William H. Nutt, since 'part of the in'- turned marginal portion ofv "an outside cover for kkthe lateral marginal" vpory. tions of the breast' ofthe heel. "Accordingly,y

the cover serves' as when covering this type of heel, it is particu1ar` ly desirable to slit the heel coversinoreacc'u-j.y

s 'practical to 'do by the `lianlif rately thany it i method.

1 integral withv the arcuate ealld"` esp'cl y eslra'ble 'of 'the invention, thecu-tters are held rigidlyby a` y A co1lar"which engages `opposite Walls of recesses It ,an object of this invention to provide a y machine which will quickly" and. eiectively slit the projecting marginal portions of side covers of heels preparatory to inturnng such marginal portions uponxthe breasts' of the heels.

It another object of the invention to `prof vide 'a `machine for slitting the marginal .portions of the side. :covers of heels .preparatory vto inturningand securingfsuch marginal portions injheel .cover'receiving grooves or slots suchas 10 disclosed in `the above-mentioned patent.

WithY theselobiects in .view and inl accordance with. one feature of the invention thereare provideda pluralityof `cutting edges, agage to faciliv tatecpositioningfthe projecting margin of a cover 15 attachedgeto a 'heel properly with respect to the edges', means for guiding each 'of the cutting edges in a path spaced from kthe pathsof movement of the .fothersfland mechanism for. operating said means thereby :totalise themargin .thus positioned 26 to be slit. Inathe illustrated construction the cutting yedges areformed at the ends of a plurality ofabladesiiorcutters which are slidably `mounted inrspaced grooves-:1in a .cylindrical supporting' member.v 'Thez gage :is a stationary, but vadjust- 25 able `memberihaving .an arcuate. operative face to engage' th'breast. of the heel, and the cutters are reciprocated` .to slit .thefmargin of the heel cover; and in. ordertofacilitate rapid and accurate pres'- entationl of Aheels to the that the slits shall be fcleanly cut, there may be provided-aside gage to'cooperate with the arcuate breast gage .and a cutting bed, which may be breast-gage, to cooperate. fwith2 the cutters; y

y .a5v It iis` :desirable to :hold: the circularly arranged cutters theiredgesfinthe same plane and tofzpermit thclcuttersso held to bereadily removedand. replaced .for `the purpose of sharpening` them or of replacing worn or broken cutters.r

t 40 'Iorthis endf, infaccordance with another feature formed in the cutters'and is mounted for recipn rocation upon the cylindrical member inthe 45r grooves 'of 'which the cutters `are slidable, there being a longitudinal grooveor recess in the inner Wall of' the' collar which'.` when v the machine `is` at I rest, may be broughtinto alinement with a selected'g'riipve` in the 'cylindrical cutter-supporting 50 member't'opermit the cutters to replacedone by one;4

"These yfanti -other'i'eatures of the invention inbey removed 'and I cludingr ldetailsof' construction: and combinatio'ns 'of parts win' be described as'embodied 55 machine and to `ensure 30.

engaging a side ofthe heel to cooperate with the the bed 30 rto form-a. pluralityzof slits preparatory 'A original position upon 2fv in an illustrated machine and pointed out in the appended claims.

Fig. 1 is a front view of the illustrated machine which is provided with right and left cover slitmechanism for holding and for operating'the slitting cutters;

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional. view-snowing neer positioning gages which areV of slightlydiferent construction from those illustrated in Fig'. 3;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing the machine modified form of.

` which extendlengthwise of each head, the anguequipped with another slightly heel gage; and

Figl 'ly is a perspective view"showi`ng a heel the projecting marginal portions ofthe'side cover of which yhave been turned upon the breastof the heel.V The illustrated machine comprises a gage 26 constructed and arranged to engage the sharply curved part 22 of fthe breast of a Louis heel 24, the forward projecting marginal portions 26 (Fig.

2) of the side cover .of .which extend beyoridrthe' breast edges ofthe heel, and aside'gage 26- for gage 20 in positioning-the. marginal/.portions 26 against a faceA or cutting supports or braces the marginal portions 26 one at a time as cutters or knives 32 are v-movedtoward to inturning the. marginal `portions 26 upon the breast ofthe heel as shown in Fig. 7.-. K a n The machine is mounted' upon astandard 36 .Fig. 1) -to which i'sboltedla transversely extending frame 38 having at each of its end portions a forwardly extending boss. 40. Each Arbossf4ll: is.'

provided witha bore 42 lshapedto receive a cylindricalvmember or. barv 44; having. a'fplane upper surface 46against which a set screw 48,:in thread- Ued relation with the;boss. 40y mayabefofrced to.

secure the bar' 44 against .movement after ithas been positioned lengthwise `in thebore 42." In order to permitthe-bar 44 Yafterbeingremoved .from the bore 42` quicklyto be replaced in'its the boss 40, the bar 44'- carries a collar 50' which is secured to the -bar- 44 by a screw 52 and havingia `rear face whichengagestheforward face of the boss140.

e As illustrated in Fig. l'i'theamachine( includes L Aleft and right units' A. and.' Brespectivelyfor slitting the left and the right .marginal portions 26`0f covers. AThese units are substantially alike in.

construction, the `only difference .being that the Yparts are reversed lso `that the unitsV may be placed close together and in opposed relation to enable `the operator witha minimum amountof handling of the heel t0,v:slit theopposite4 marginal portions of the cover.-iV

these "slots 5 4v is of awidth corresponding approxi-` mately to the thicknessof 'th'e cutters 32- each of bed or block 30 which a provision Becausegof the Substanz tial' identity of constructionofthe runits,.itwi1lg be necessary to describe but y,one c f the units in detail, it being understood, however, that for each which, as best illustrated in Fig. 4, comprises a cutting edge 56, an elongated.I shank portion 58 which normally lies within the outside surface Yof the cylindrical member 44, and a pair of lateral extensions or flanges 60 which normally extend above the outside surface and through which the cutter is secured to a cutter operating collar 62 which will later be described in detailir f Secured to the inner ends of each of the bars 44 through a bolt 64 (Fig. 3) is a head 66 which 'in the illustrated machine comprises a sectional ,or innerportion 68 of the side gage 28 and the The heel breast engaging` gagey cutting bed 30. 20, which may be referred to as an arcuate member is secured to the head 66 by the bolt 64, and comprises an arcuate heel breast engaging surface 10 of frusto-conical form. f

Each of the portions 68 of the heads 66 is also provided with radially disposed slots 12 (Fig. 2)

lar relation between these slots beingsuch that when the head is positioned, as shown in Figs. 2

and 3, the slots ,12 will be in alinementwith the.l v slots 54 of the bar 44 and will form therewith-a plurality of continuous slots;

34- inthe projecting marginal portions 26 .of the heel cover supported upon the cutting bed 36 are:

located in predetermined relation to eachother lengthwise of the bar 44. through .the cutter oper-1 of which is suchL that ating collar. 62, the length it will t snugly between thespaced flanges of thev cutters 32. In order to mount the `cutters 32 in the machine, each of the collars 62 is pro-Yy vided with a recess or slot 16 (Fig. 4) extending;

lengthwise through .the collar 62, the' slots 54 ybeing moved successively by rotation, of the bar 44 so as to be in alinement with the recess :16. Each of the cutters 32 may thus be readily .in-

serted into the slots 54 and into the recess 16v and.

after they have been properly located lengthwise with respectto the co1lar62, the bar 44 .is turned to causethe flanges 60 of the cutters 32 4to engagel the opposite ends ofthe collar 62,-Since the illustrated slitting operation is performedrby'the cutters which are located in the lower half of the bar 44, it is not essential .that the cutters32 A of the upper half alinement. Accordingly, the upper portion of the rear face ,of thecollar 62 (Fig. 4) is provided with a` slightly dished portion 18 in order to expediteY the` placing of the cutters in the machine.4 Such cutterssince itfrequently happens that thedistance between thev of the bar 44 be in lengthwise` is especially useful in assembling the` flanges 66 ofv the cutters is.

approximately equal to thevlength rof the collar 62 and itis therefore necessary to force Athe cutter upon thecollar.V providing thedished portion 18 ator may therefore cause the flanges to over-ride This is easily accomplished `by since the length. of the collar atits recess portionnis shorter than the distance between the flanges 60. The4 opertheopposite ends of the collar 62 by turning the bar.44`. It willbe clear that as the bar 44 is turned the flanges 60 will be brought into contact with the opposite ends of the collarv 62 and that i the cutters willthus be clamped tightlyvto the A.

collar. f

In order to reciprocate the cutter carrying collar- 62 along the cylindrical memberv or bar '44, the collar is pivotally secured to a bifurcate'd'f,

'member 80 the rear end of which is provided with an eccentric collar 62 mounted upon anec-jj centric carried by a drive shaft 84. The drive ivol rceiving grooves |24'. l

Shaft 84is supported for rotation in arearbear: ing f the transversely extending frame 38 'and ina :front ybearing 86 formed in a brackety 88 secured to the transversely extending frame v38 by set screws; 90. Power is supplied by a motor p92 operably connected througha'belt 94 to a pulley 96 which drives a pinion 98 iournaled in anhousing portion |00 of the bracket 88` arrzlqrneshingy with anotherpinion |02 keyed to the rear end of Vthe'shaft 84. The speed of rotation of the pulley 96 is fairly slow in order tol permit the operator to present a heel to the machine between,

successive reciprocations of the cutters. The forwardportions of each of the ybrackets 88 is provided with a drip pan `|04 arranged to `catch any lubricant which drops from the :eccentric collar 82.y

The side gage 28 illustrated in Figs. 3 Vand 6 comprises the inner part 68 and an `outer part |06 having a heel engaging surface |08 which is substantially a continuation of a heel engaging face |fl0 of the inner part 68. The outer portion I 06 is secured by a screw I2 to a rearwardly extending arm ||4 rbifurcated at its rear portion -to receive a clamp screw I I6 which is in threaded relation with the boss 40. Although the gage 28 has been illustrated as comprising inner and'outer DartsS and |00 respectively, it will be understoodthatthe inner part 68 may be laterally ex,-

.tended as illustrated in Fig. 5 so as to serve as a side gage without the use of an outer part I 06, or the inner portion 68 may be reduced and the outer portion |06 may .be extended toward the bar 44.

, i In order that .the slits 34 may extend to within a, predetermined allowable distance of the breast edge, the arcuate heel breast engaging faces 'I0 of they breast' gage 20 are spaced from the path vof the knives 32 may be varied thereby to control the distance at which the slits 34 terminate from the breast edge of the heel. i

It will be noted that in Fig. 6 the breast gage instead of having a conical surface extendging approximately to the planeof the cutting;

bed comprises a disk |22, the arcuate heel en# gaging portion thereof being spaced axially of the bar 44 from the plane of the cuttingbed 39. Such a gage may be advantageously utilized in slitting the projecting marginal portionsnof heel covers which are `to be turned into heel cover receiving grooves |24 formed in ther breasts of heels and described in they above-mentioned United States Letters Patent No. 1,704,204. The

yheel engaging portion of this modified formv of breast gage 20 instead of engaging the breast ad'- jacent to the breast edge, engages the breast at a substantial distance from that edge in order to avoid interference with the heel cover re 1twi11 be noted that the middle portion |26 of the breast of the heel is substantially straight transversely thereof While the sharplyK curvedA portion22 is vof convex curvature transverselyof fthe breast. If, therefore, the slits V34A are'to lter- Ininateyatthasame distance from the breast edge, it'will, be'clearthattheportion ofthe srcuate face l0, whichengages the sharply curved portion 22 yof then-breast of Vthe heel, should be,

lcatfd lnearer to thepath of movement of the i knives32 than the portionof the arcuate face lllwhichengages the middle portion |26 of the breast of the heel. By mounting the gage 2t!L eccentrically with relation to the `axis of the cy lindrical member 44, the portion ,of the arcuate face-llywhich engages the sharply curved p01',-` tion 22of the breast of the heel, is arranged slightlynearer to the cuttersthan the portion of,the Larcuate face 10 in contact withthe middle portion |26 of the breast of the'heel.

Vrf'Ijhe breast gage 20 instead of being constructed separatelyfrom the cutting bed or block 30 may be formed integral therewith as illustrated in Fig. VIL5. 'In such a construction the cutting bed 3`0 is .preferably formed .separately from a sideA gage [|21 which issubstantially similar to the innerportion 68 of the side. gage 2.8, ,except that it extends laterally of the cylindrical member 44 to-such lanextent that it is unnecessary to use therewith an outer portion |06 of the side-gage such as illustrated inthe other figures. The heel engaging surface |28 of the combined gage and cutting bed |30 is of conical form and serves as a1 supportifor the breast of the heel, the com bined member being eccentrically mounted vin order that the effective heelengaging portion thereof may be adjustably spaced with relation to the path of movement of the knives 32.

In order to form slits 34 in the projecting mar#-r ginal portions '28 of a side cover attached to a heel, the operator positions the heel adjacent to one of the units `A or B by engaging the breast of the heel with the breast gage 20 and by engagf ing a side of the heel with the side gage'28. As above stated, the speed of the cutter is so timed that the operator may position a heel-A between successive reciprocations of the cutter. When the heel has been positioned, th-e cutters 32 are moved lengthwise of the bar 34 and slit the mar-y ginal portion 26 which is braced or supported by the ycutting bed 30. sented to the other unit to slit the ginal portion of the side cover.

Having thus described my invention, WhatgI opposite mar-- claim `as new and -desire'to secure by Letters..

Patent of the United States is: v

1. A machine of the class .described having, in combination, a plurality of cutting edges, means for guiding each of the edges in a path spaced from the paths of movement of the others, a gage s The heelr is then 131%-,`

for positioning th-e projecting margin of a cover y attached to a heel with respect to the paths of movement of said cutting edges, and mechanism constructed and arranged to move said cutting;

edges simultaneously along' their respective paths thereby to slit the margin of the neously at a plurality of folding of the cover around the heel.

2. A machine of the classdescribed having, in A combination, a plurality of cutting edges, means for guiding each .of the cutting edges in a pathv spaced from the paths of movement of the others, a gageprovided with a convex portion for positioning the projecting margin of a cover attached to a heel with respect to the paths of movement of the cutting edges, a support for said projecting margin, andV mechanism constructed and arranged to move sai-d cutting edges simultaneously ,along their respective paths relatively to the Osupport to slit the margin-of the cover VSimul-A cover simulta? places to facilitate ther 4fr taneously' in a plurality` of places.v thereby to facilitate the kfolding of the cover around the heel.

3. A slitting machine having, in combination, agage constructed and arranged `to'engage the breast of a heel beyond a breast edge of which a marginal portion of a sidecover projects, cutting edges` arranged in a curved pattern, means for guiding each of the cutting e'dges in apath spaced from the paths of movement of the other cutting edges, and mechanism constructed and arranged to move said cutting edges simultaneously along their respective paths to slit said marginal portion therebyV to facilitate the laying of the projecting marginal portion of the cover upon ythebreast of the heel.

4LA slitting machine having, in combination, a "gage having a curved surface constructed and arranged to engage a sharplycurved portion of the breast vof a heel a marginal portion of thesidecoverof Which'projects beyond aV breast e'dge of the heel,` slitting cutters, mechanism for guidingeach of the cutters ina path spaced from the paths of-movement of theothers, said gage having af-faceV arranged to supportl the marginal portion of the side cover, and mechanism for moving -the cutters along their respective paths to cause the same to cooperate with said face to slit the marginal portionVv by a plurality of 'cuts preparatory to rfolding the same upon the breast of the heel.- l

' 5.; A slitting machine having, in combination, gagesl constructed and arranged respectively to engage t-he breast and a side of a heel a marginal portion of the side cover of which projects bef yond one of the breast edges of the heel, a sup,- port for the marginal portion, and cutters constructedv and arranged to slit the marginal portion'iof the side cover positioned,V relatively to the support by said gages by a plurality of cuts extending at substantial angles to the breast edge of the heel.

-=-6. In a slitting machine, a member constructed and arranged to engage the projecting portion ofthev breast oi a Louis heel beyond a breast edge *of which a marginal portion of a side cover of the-'heel projects, a plurality of cutters, said member having a face constructed and arranged to support the marginal portion of the cover and aplurality of Y slots to receive said cutters, and

means to 'produce relative movement between the cutter and the member to cause the cutters to form in the marginal portions slits extending at substantial angles to the breast edge thereby to facilitate the inturning of the marginalportions kupon the breast of the heel.

7. In a slitting machine, a gage having a curved surfaceconstructed and arranged to engage the sharply curved portion of the breast of a Louis heela marginal portion of the side cover of which projects beyond a breast edge of the heel, a sup-l port for the marginal portion o f the cover, a gage to engage a side of the heel and shaped and arranged to cooperate with the rst-named gagein positioning the projecting marginal rportion in predetermined relation to said support, and cutters movablel relatively to the support to slit the projecting portions to facilitate the inturning of thesameupon the-sharply curved portion'of the breast of the heel.`

v8. Ina slitting machine, a gage having a curved surface constructedV and arranged to enga-ge the sharply curved' portion of the breast of a Louis heel a marginal'portion of the side cover of which projects beyond a'breast edge of the heel, a cut- -tin'g lbed having ar pluralityof slots, a gage constructed and arranged to engage a side ofthe heel and to cooperate with the first-named gage in positioning the projecting marginal portion in pre-j determined relation to said cutting bed, andl cutters movable relatively to the cutting bed to slit the projecting portions topermit the same "to be' smoothly inturne'cl upon the sharply curved-portion of the breast of the heel.

9. In ar slitting machine, a disk having an outcurved edge constructed and arranged to engage a sharply curved portion of a Louis heel a margin` al portion of the attached side cover Vof which projects beyond a breast'edge of the heel, said diskhaving a side face constructed and arranged tosupport the projecting marginal portion of the cover,`a pluralityv of cutting edges, mechanism for guiding each of the cutting edges in a path spaced from the paths of movement ofthe other cutting edges, and means to move the cutting edges along said paths relatively to the disk thereby to form a plurality of slits substantially simultaneously in the projecting marginal portion supported by said of the heel and having a face to engage said marn ginal portion, and means to move said knives along the slots to formin the projecting portion supported by said face a plurality of slits disposed at substantial anglestothe breast edge to facili-` tate the layingv of said marginal portion upon the breast of the heel.- ,Y

11. In a slitting machine, a cylindrical member having a plurality of radially disposed guide` Ways extending lengthwise of said member, a disk provided with guideways which are `a1ignedwith the guideways of said memberand being constructed and arranged to engage thesharply cured portion of the breast of a heel having -a marginal portion of its side cover projecting beyond a breast edge thereof, said disk having a face to engage-said projecting marginal portion of the cover, and knives mounted for movement in the guideways to sever the marginal rportion of the cover supported by said face by a series of cuts disposed at substantial angles to the breast edges.

12. In a slitting machine, knives, a pair of disks spaced from each other and provided with alined slots, one of said disks being smaller than the other and having an edege constructed and arranged to engage the sharply curved portion of to sever the projecting marginal' portion of the Y 13. A'slitting machinehaving, in combination, a cutting block, knives constrained for movement in a path toward and awayvfrom said block, a gage having an arcuate faceto engage the breast of a heel and spaced from the path of movement of the knives, and .a member having `a face inclinedV to land projecting beyond-lime arcuateface with respect to the pathfof'vthe 14. "A, slitting machine having, in combination a cutting block having a plurality of'slots formed therein, knives constrained*formovementv in a ipfath toward and away from said block, afgag'e having a-conioal face to'engage the' breast ofv a rLouis heel and-spaced iroimthe-patlir of 'move'- ment of the knives','and',a memberl havinga face Ta memberhavinga convex surface constructed 'inclined to and projectingr beyondihe conical facevwith-respect to the pathffof 'thevvcutterand vconstructer'l and" arranged to cooperatev with 'said gage' in positioning a projecting marginal portion jof a'side cover 'the block. y f l 15.'A vmachine for slitting covers secured to heels having, in combination, a heel cover supporting block provided with a plurality of"s1o'ts,

attached to the heel relatively-to va plurality ofvknives constructedl and larranged for` movement through the respective slots, 'said 'block comprising an arcuate heel breast'engag ing face spaced from-the path of movement of "the knives', and a member spaced fromy and dis- 'fpos'ed at' anlangle to as Well as extending' beyond saidface andconstructed and arranged to 4engage aside of a heel the breast of which is'in engagement-with'saidarcuate face to cooperate v'with said'ar'cuate face inpositioning' thefmarginal portion of a side coverl projectingbeyond av breast-edge of the heely against said block as the knives are movedv al'ongithe slots to slit ythe marginaliportion by a plurality of c uts disposed vat substantial angles to the breast edge.`

x 16;"In a-'slitting machine, a'pl-uralityof knives mounted'for movement in iixed paths, a gage lhaving an .arcuate face spaced from saidpaths and constructed Vandv arranged to engage the -breast'of a heel, a member spaced from the aren- 'alte' face in 'a general 'direction lengthwise' of said paths andextending beyond the'arcuateface in a direction at right anglesto said paths, a cut# ting block; said memberI being constructed and arranged to engage a side of the heel and to cooperate with the gage in positioning a projecting portion of a side cover attached to the heel relatively to the cutting block, and means to move the knives in said path and against the block to sever the projecting marginal portion of the cover. y

17. In a slitting machine, a plurality of knives mounted for movement in-xed paths, a cutting block having a plurality of slots, a gage having a conical face spaced from said paths and constructed and arranged to engage the breast of aV Louis heel, a member spaced from the conical face in a general direction lengthwise of said paths and extending beyond the conical face in a direction at right angles to said paths, said member being constructed and arranged to engage aside of the heel and to cooperate with the gage in positioning a projecting portion of the cover applied to the heel relatively to the cutting block, and means to move the knives in said paths and into the slots of the cutting block to sever the projecting portions of the cover.

18. In a slitting machine, a plurality of knives mounted for movement in xed paths, a cutting block, a gage having a corneal face spaced from said paths and constructed and arranged to engage the breast of a Louis heel, a member spaced from the conical surface in a general direction lengthwise of said paths and extending beyond -each of theislots. andl mounted. for vment therein,"a:cutting block having a supporting the `ccniceunin-accim1iy direction at rigmangas to said paths, said member beingconstructedand movement of the'kni-ves`,l and means to movethe knives in said path and *againstthe block to sever.

kthe projecting portionlof the cover.v

19. :A fsiimngvmaehine havm'g, in combination,

arranged to engagea side of. the heel and to coop- `crate with the gage'in-vpositioninga portion of a cover attached to the heelfandprojectingbeyond the breast of the same relatively to the cutting lblock,fsaid'eonical face being mounted for adjustment towardand i away 4`*from 'the path of yond saidl surface andfshapedto engage aside ofr the heel, said member having a face disposed at anangle to the convex `surface and provided with a plurality of slots, and a pluralityof knives convsvtructed'and arrangedfor movement rto enterthe `vslotsto slitthe-marginal portion of thercover positionedd'upon' s'aiddfface, said convex surface being spaced at? ai predetermined distance `from the path of movement of the knives to'insure that the' slits formed in rthe projecting marginal `por'- tion will extend only'to a desired depth. f

20. IA. slitting. machiney having, in combination, a cylindrical member provided 'with a-'plurality of slots l extending Isubstantially parallel to an. element-of. the member, a knifeconstructed tolt'in sliding movesurface,l a' cutter operator tomove the knives in the.slots*toward` and away from the cutting block, a gagelfhaving'a.facecurved'about'an axis disposed; .parallelE to said islots" and spaced laterally from the path of the..y cutting .edges of the knives, a restspacedlengthwise of the path of movement of .thefknivesifrom the' facev of the. gage andextending {at-'fan ianglez to theA path of movement of :the knives, Vand means. to movethe'knives toward `and awayirom theblock. 21;....fA slitting. machinevhaving, in combination,

a bar, members spaced lengthwise of the bar and projecting diierent distances laterally of the bar to engage respectively the breast and a side of a y heel having an attached cover a margin of which projects beyond the breast of the heel, said bar and said members being provided with alined slots, knives mounted for movement in the slots, and means to operate the knives to slit the 1 projecting margin thereby to facilitate the laying of said margin upon the breast of the heel.

22. In a slitting machine, a plurality. of knives the central portions of the cutting edgesl of which lie in a cylindrical surface, a cutting block, gages to engage a breast and a side of the heel a portion of the side cover of which projects beyond'the breast edge of the heel to position the projecting portion of the cover relatively to the cutting block, and means to move the knives in paths substantially parallel to the elements of the cylindrical surface to sever the projecting marginal portion upon the block.

23. In a slitting machine, a bar having a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots extending lengthwise of the bar, a plurality of cutters located in the slots and having spaced portions yextending laterally of and beyond the bar, a collar constructed and arranged to iit uponl the bar and having a recess formed in its inner face and extending lengthwise to permit the blades to be potending `lengthwise to upon the bar,;and means to secure relative move'- .the cutters thereby to a bar having a piaplurality of .cutters portions extending. laterally of and beyond the bar, a co1- lar constructed and arranged toiit the bar and having a'v recess formed in its inner face and expositioned in said slots when the collar is mounted upon the bar, tive movement between the bar and the collar, said collar being of a suitablelengthto fit snugly between the spaced lateral portions of the cutters thereby -to lock the cuttersto the collar and be-` ing of slightly reduced `length atiherecessedA portion thereof. t

25. In a slitting machine, a .plurality.of cutters arranged in spaced relation about an axis and having their cutting edges disposed substantially radially with respect to said axis, `a member constructed and arranged to engage the breast Vof Aa heel a marginal portion of the side cover of which vextends beyond a breast edge of the heel, said member having a plurality of slots constructedand arranged to receive the cutters `and a face constructed to engage the marginal portionsof the side cover when the .breastr ofthe `heel engages said member,` and means to movel the cutters lin paths extending substantially par,- allel to said axis to cause the cutters substantially simultaneously to enter the respective slots thereby to slit the marginal portion bya plurality of cuts each of which extends at a substantial angle to the breast edge of :the heel. Y'

26. In a machine for slitting the projecting marginal portion of a Louis heel side cover, a' cutting bed, an arcuate member constructed and arranged Ato engage the sharply curved part of :the breast of the heel, a gage to engage'. aside of a heel and to cooperate with the arcuate member permit the hladesto be and means for producing relaaow-i040 -inlpositioning `the marginal portion ofthe cover withythe relation to the, cutting bed anda plu,- rality of knives mounted for movement in paths disposed at substantially right angles to the cutting bed and constructed andv arranged yto co- 27. In a machine for slitting a projecting marginal portion of a side cover attached to a Louis vheel and extending/beyond a breast edge ofthe heel, a heel gaging member having an arcuate operate with the cutting bed to form a plurality Vof slits in the marginal portion of the cover.

face-constructed andarranged to engage the A` breast of theheel, a plurality of cuttingedges movable in spaced paths respectivelyI relatively to s aid face for slitting the projecting marginal portionof the cover, andmeans for operating the cutting edges along said paths respectively to cause the same to slit the marginal portion, said face being spaced from the paths of travel of the .cutting ledges to insure that the slits formed in the projecting portion terminate at predetermined distances fromvthe breast edge of4 the heel.

V28. A machine-for operating upon the cover of a heel a portion of the breast ofy which is substantially flat 4inits crosswiseV dimension and another portion of which is convex having, in combination, a plurality of slitting cutters thev outer corners of which are'arranged in a. circle, and a vbreast gage having a Lheelbreast engaging sur- -face one portionv of which is located-farther outside the surface of the circle-of `the knives than. isanother portion. V

`29. A machineof the class described having, in'

combination, a cutter provided with a plurality of cutting edges, a gage Ato facilitate the positioning of the margin of a cover attached to and projecting beyondan edge of la'vface of a heel properly with respect to the slitting means, mechanism for guiding each; of the cutting edges in apath spaced fromv the paths of movement ofthe other cutting edges, and mechanism for moving said. cutting edges substantiallyl simultaneously across said edge and over said face to slitv the margin of the cover. -Y

- NORWOOD H. KNOWLTON 

